Cops found a huge .380-caliber pistol in the waistband of little person Joshua Agard, 18, along with 15 vials of crack that he was peddling while hanging out in a courtyard with pal Manuel Zabater, who was also killed in the attack.
"He was just so big. So [I thought], how much could he get into?" said distraught neighbor Debra Daniels, 61. "He was a good person. I loved him."
Though Agard was just 3 feet tall, he had a police record a mile long. So far this year, he had been busted twice, once on assault charges for throwing a bottle at a man's head and once for trespassing when he was caught inside 425 E. 105th St. He also had two other arrests, cops said.
The final, fatal trouble for Agard came at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday while he and Zabater, beers in hand, were in the courtyard of the East River Houses project on East 105th Street.
According to cops, three or four black males approached and, without saying a word, blasted Agard several times.
Witnesses told The Post that the project grounds were clear of the usual cast of thugs at the time of the shooting, indicating that many knew the hit would be going down.
As rounds tore through the tiny target's head and torso, Zabater committed an act of bravery when he rushed to his friend's side and tried to pull him to cover, witnesses said. That's when Zabater - who was on parole for drugs - was hit twice in the torso.
The gunmen fled and were still at large yesterday. Both victims were taken to local hospitals, where they died.
Looks like this dwarf was selling snowhite.
I feel you need to have some type of sympathy and respect in situations like the one above. He has a family and the best grandmother ever and I'm sure the way you post this story is tearing her apart I think you need to be much more sensitive for the sake of the family. Harlem is not easy and things just happen and people get caught up with the wrong thing but Harlem also has good people and the media should understand that.
Posted by: Migdalia | June 11, 2007 at 11:26 AM
Sympathy for whom? For the guy with 15 vials of crack and a .380 in his waistband? Respect? Do you think the people in his community respect him? Do you think the parents of the people he has sold crack to are feeling "some type of sympathy and respect" for this guy? Perhaps "Harlem is not easy" because of people like him?
Posted by: Stan LS | June 12, 2007 at 07:00 AM
Perhaps Harlem is not easy because of ignorance like yours. Everyone is quick to judge and close their eyes and mind to what is happening there, but as soon as tragedy strikes eyes r opened, jokes r made, people r bashed, and the whole story becomes edited for ones amusement. I am his cousin, and I knew the Joshua that the media did not...He made bad choices as we ALL do at times, he felt that with his size he had no choice, he wasn't equipped to handle what was dealt to him at birth, and for that we the family r to blame, but for his death...he was a child. A misguided youth that lost his way and was killed in the process of finding it again! I pray that God gives my family and all who knew Joshua some peace, and that all those that mock this tragedy have their mouths shut by the awesome events that will take place after, the lives that will be saved by this tragedy. I pray YOU open your heart and mind to what God has in store.
God Bless
Posted by: Latina | June 14, 2007 at 03:25 PM
Migdalia did you know Josuah personally? I'm guessing not, well I did because he was MY COUSIN... He had a hard life and it's very easy for people like you to be judgemental and quickly have no heart because you read about the external things but nothing just happens. I'm not making excuses for his actions but maybe if more people looked deeper into the why rather then tearing people down, this world would be a better place. Its so much easier just being judgemental isn't it? Who needs to use their brain and look deeper into the situation when you can just judge immidiately. Joshuah lost BOTH of his parents to Aids when he was just a little boy and they died back to back, he lived in the projects all his life and was surrounded by a lifestyle that made it very hard for him to overcome the struggles of life (especially in the hood)not to mention that he was a dwarf and was not connected to the community of little people ever so he always felt that pain. And here's something else maybe you didn't know, my father was in New York last month and spoke with Josuah, Josuah expressed his pain and begged to come down to Florida to start a new life away from the hood, he couldn't come down right away because he had a court date, well guess what he was set to come down to Florida after his last court date only he never made it because he was shot 9 times and brutally murdered before he could start a new life. So before you run your mouth thinking you can spill your insensitive crap THINK twice because life is not that black and white and what these newspapers and bloggers are doing is WRONG, they are exploiting him and our family simply because he was a dwarf and the nasty comments are just plain wrong, God forbid you ever loose someone in your family and have to deal with the nasty insensitive jokes people have completely disgregarding the family left behind!
Posted by: Chuckie | June 14, 2007 at 06:09 PM
Hard life or not, he made other people's lives harder as well. Arrested for throwing a bottle at another man's head? Making money on other people's addictions? Talking about exploiting!
Posted by: Stan LS | June 14, 2007 at 07:54 PM
Did u know the person he threw the bottle at? Did u know if he himself provoked the attack, did u know the circumstance? I'm sure he didn't just decide "hey let me throw this bottle at him just for kicks". Did you know that a week b4 his death he was beaten by some gang members? Enough of the personal attacks on someone you know nothing of, had this hit close to home you'd be singing a different tune, and I pray you don't have to endure the pain we are at this moment, because no matter who the person was on this earth he was still someones brother, cousin, nephew, grandson, friend, and he will be sorely missed!!
P.S. Whoever is approving the comments is getting the names mixed up, Stan LS did not post that I (Latina) did, and Latina did not post the other Chuckie did.
Posted by: Latina | June 14, 2007 at 09:02 PM
No I don't know the person he threw the bottle at. Do you know the gang members that he was beaten up by? Surely they didn't just decide "let's beat him up just for kicks". I am sure those gang members are someone's cousin, brother, nephew, an harlem ain't easy and they had a reason for what they did, etc.
I didn't make this personal. I commented on a guy who was shot while having 15 vials of crack and a gun in his waistband. The people he had sold drugs to were somebody's family, too, you know. Ask them for sympathy and see how they react.
Look, I am free to comment on the current events and have no qualms about my lack of sympathy for those who profit from the misery of others. I didn't solict your guys opinions regarding this matter, either. You chose to google his name. What did you expect? An outpouring of support for a drug dealer with a lengthy rap sheet??
Posted by: Stan LS | June 14, 2007 at 09:23 PM
You're basically implying that all Harlem residents are criminals, and we know that's not true, so, again, merely being from Harlem is no excuse. Look, I am from brooklyn and I attended a ,what the media likes to refer to as, "inner-city high school". I've seen some kids from good backgrounds end up going the wrong path and I've seen kids from the ghetto do well. It all comes down to personal decisions.
Like you said, your family loved him uncoditionally and that's fine and that's why I don't expect you to be rational about this, but on the other hand, I didn't email you, didn't send your family letters, etc.
You googled his name, because you were seeking the opinion of others. Again, what did you expect? For people to sympathize with a gun carrying, crack selling, violent criminal? I mean, I am not making this up about him, right?
Posted by: Stan LS | June 14, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Actually you are, you are basically basing this on the news, and u can't believe everything u read (That's what I was taught as a child). As a matter of fact The NY Post is a tabloid paper. We'll never know the truth about what really happened, because it wouldn't make for good exciting news, as the story of a "gun toting midget" would. At his funeral today there was a line around the building, because people new and loved Josh, the real Josh they knew, not who the news says he was, I'm not sure a whole neighborhood would come out to see the neighborhood thug and pay their respects. And I'm def sure THAT won't be in the headlines tomorrow! Your are most def entitled to your opinion and it is welcomed, just get the facts straight.
And I am not saying everyone in Harlem is a thug or criminal, I'm trying to state the exact opposite by telling u the type of person Josh was. But u have your opinions formed already and that's your prerogative. I'm done for now, and will stop visiting this site. I pray that You will never have to endure this, it is the worst kind of pain on top the crap you have to put up with after (news, tabloids, opinions etc). You are in my prayers Stan.
Posted by: | June 14, 2007 at 11:18 PM
But which parse is false? They didn't find crack on him? There was no gun? No lengthy rap sheet?
Posted by: Stan LS | June 14, 2007 at 11:24 PM
you people are sick..do you really think because he had a gun on him and crack he deserved to die...what about the person created a handgun why shouldnt they die? dont they sell death?..i feel sorry for this young man because most likely he died because he was discriminated against because of his height and he didnt back down and nobody wants to get shot or shot at stabbed showed up or w.e it was by a midget and they killed him..the news said nobody was around when he died so people knew he was going to get killed...grimey ass niggas i tell u..his life wasnt easy and growing up in the ghetto..what do u expect...rip
Posted by: damn | April 06, 2011 at 11:21 PM